Maintenance program

Today's session at the BMT clinic lasted from 9:30 until nearly noon, but much of that time was spent waiting. Dannielle, patient coordinator, had called me yesterday to tell me that, because Dr. Tricot is unavailable until sometime in November, they have decided to start me on the first maintenance cycle tomorrow with an infusion of velcade and to plan on a longer session. It was a longer session, but only because I had to wait between visits from Thu (head of pharmacy), Abby (PA), Jennifer (one of Dr. Tricot's nurses), and Dannielle. My new schedule calls for me to go in on Friday for lab work and velcade and Monday for velcade (no lab work) and then take 10 days off after which the cycle repeats through November 12. Throughout this 28 day period I will continue to take thalidomide and at the end of it or soon thereafter I will meet with Dr. Tricot who has already told me that the maintenance program will continue for a year. Sometime soon Dr. Tricot will order repetition of the PET scan, bone marrow biopsy and other tests that I have undergone twice before.

Emma came home form St. Mark's Hospital yesterday. She had been in their Transitional Care Center since early afternoon last Friday where she underwent therapy from 2 or 3 therapists several times a day. They wanted to be sure that she could dress herself, maneuver around the bed to get to the bathroom and handle crutches to go up and down stairs before releasing her. She is happy to be at home and it does cut down on driving to have her here rather than in the hospital. A couple of neighbors came over Wednesday evening to help move a bed downstairs for her and she is fairly comfortable sleeping in the Family Room.